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Postal votes need to be in the mail by 5pm Tuesday, otherwise they can be hand-delivered to ballot boxes around the region.
A quarter of the eligible votes have been cast for the local body elections in Christchurch, but time is running out for those who want to post their ballot.
With five days left to vote and just a few hours to mail ballots in, there’s been a jump in votes received for the Christchurch City Council elections in the last 24 hours.
As of Monday, 25.08% – or 68,006 – of eligible voters had cast their vote, an increase of 6,813 on the previous day.
The percentage of votes cast is higher than at the same time during the last two elections, in 2019 and 2016, and just a shade under that in 2013.
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The Fendalton and Banks Peninsula wards are leading the 16 wards, with more than 30% having their votes already counted, while the Central and Riccarton ward have had less than 20% cast their vote.
Tuesday is the last day to get votes in by mail.
Completed voting papers need to be posted by 5pm on Tuesday to ensure they arrive before voting closes at noon on October 8, Christchurch City Council electoral officer Jo Daly said.
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A quarter of eligible voters have cast their vote in Christchurch, with those in the Banks Peninsula and Fendalton wards leading the way.
“You should have received a postage-paid envelope with your voting papers.
“All you need to do is complete your voting papers, put them in the envelope, and then drop the envelope into any post box before the close of business on Tuesday.”
Votes that miss the cut-off will need to be hand-delivered to one of the ballot boxes that have been placed at open council libraries and service centres and in the ground floor of the Civic Offices in Hereford St.
